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My Success Story by Jane Berry

The Youth Achievement Awards

The Youth Achievement Awards are a project based approach to education and are available through youth organisations, schools and educational projects. In order to achieve an Award, young people must begin a project which requires them to take on increasing levels of responsibility for their work, helping them to develop a sense of ownership over their activities and the learning involved. The Awards enable young people to build self-awareness, self-esteem, communication and negotiation skills and teach young people how to work with others in teams.

My Success Story by Jane Berry

"When I left School, I didn’t have a clue which career path I wanted to take; I was also very shy and did not have a lot of confidence. I had been told about the employment to entry (e2e) programmes and decided to try it. Over the past 7 months not only have I achieved Adult Literacy and Numeracy at Level 2 but also my UK Youth Bronze and Silver Award. Doing them was the best thing that could have happened to me. Through the Awards I gained a lot more confidence and am much better at working as part of a team. One of my challenges was to attend a placement at a special needs school. This was a really daunting as it meant travelling to a place I had never been before and meeting new people. But I did it and I felt so proud of myself. It was from doing this placement that I decided I wanted to be a carer in a residential home. I am starting an Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care soon and am really looking forward to it. If it hadn’t been for e2e and the UK Youth Awards I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today!"

 

Displaying 1—6 of 20 stories
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A New Start with Bronze

The KRAN Riverside Project offers Life Skills education for 16-18 year old unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC). The course has boosted the students’ independent living skills, and gradually improved their English. These young people are now living independently within the community.

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Alasdair's Story

With the help of Edge, the independent education foundation, Alasdair was able to realise his ambition to become a diamond-setter.

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Carly's Story

BTEC Performing Arts student Carly Cook explains why she chose to study for a diploma at college.

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Claire's story

Claire didn't realise how rewarding volunteering could be until she started volunteering at her local primary school through Worldwide Volunteering.

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Conor Smith

Connor Smith, 14, is studying the Higher Diploma in C&BE at the Construction Design Centre.

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Dan's Story

Dan Evans is a 19 year-old from Kent whose life changed when his school joined CCE's 'Schools of Creativity' programme. Dan began to realise he had an interest in dance and this became a channel for his emotions.

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Fran's Story

Fran Matthews recently completed her Bronze and Silver Youth Achievement Awards.

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Jade's Story

Jade was one of the first girls to be referred to South Park Enterprise College because of her challenging behaviour.

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Janine's Story

How work experience in a dental technology lab inspired one student to make it her career, combining paid work with a part-time BTEC

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Karl's Story

Karl Francis has been working with 'Personal Best', using the prospect of working at the 2012 Olympic amd Paralympic Games to allow disadvantaged young people to learn and develop new skills.

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Kat and the Youth Achievement Awards

Kat undertook the Platinum Youth Achievement award which had five challenges, including training, volunteering and taking ownership of a project.

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Kayly and the Youth Achievement Awards

Kayly recently completed her Gold Youth Achievement Award. She says, "From all of my challenges I feel I now have more confidence and have gained new skills". Find out what she did here.

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Kyle's Story

Kyle joined the South Park Enterprise College in June 2004 following severe bullying in his mainstream school.

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Laura's Story

South Park Enterprise College's work-related learning programme gave Laura the opportunity to work in a nursery for a year whilst taking a Diploma in child care. At the end of the year Laura was offered a job at the nursery because of her success.

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Lynne's Story

Lynne McAlpine struggled with school until she began the Youth Achievement Awards Scheme.

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My Success Story by Jane Berry

The Youth Achievement Awards helped Jane gain confidence and find a career path.

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Niall's story - Salford Lads and Girls Club

Niall Armsden has organised weekly activities for more than 200 young people and campaigned to raise £1,000,000 to keep the Salford Lads and Girls club running,as part of his ASDAN Certificate of Community Volunteering.

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St Benet Biscop School in Lesotho

Students from Sutherland School in Shropshire and St Benet Biscop School in Northumberland helped to run a student co-operative conference in Lesotho. Zoe and Charlotte from St Benet Biscop talk about their experience.

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The Bloomer Family

Helen, Sam and Eve Bloomer all left school without qualifications. They have 18 children between them, and already had four grandchildren when still in their thirties. The Innovation Unit's Communities for Learning project has helped to transform their lives.

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Victoria and the Youth Achievement Awards

Victoria Murrell recently completed her Gold Youth Achievement Award. She says, "I already had silver so I thought ‘this should be okay’. Boy was I wrong!"

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